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Source: Jaak Nilson, Visit Tartu

Old Believers

Exiled from Russia in the 1600s, their centuries-old culture can be experienced on a trip to the shores of Lake Peipsi.

Tucked up along the western coastline of Lake Peipsi runs a lonely road known as the Onion Route.

The road is lined with villages and the homes of Estonia's Old Believers, descendants of religious exiles who left Russia after facing persecution in the 1600s.

While much has changed in the world since then, these communities still maintain customs and traditions dating back hundreds of years.

Arial view of the Old Believers' homes along the Onion Route

Source: Hans Markus Antson

The Onion Route connects a string of small villages.

They date back to the 17th century when the Old Believers arrived from Russia.

Why did the Old Believers come to Estonia?

In 1652, a number of reforms were introduced to the Russian Orthodox Church. Ceremonies and religious texts were altered and certain traditions changed. For example, the sign of the cross would be made with three fingers instead of two, and the tradition of prayer with low sweeping bows was eliminated.

From a modern-day perspective, these changes seem trivial. At the time, some believers considered these changes a fundamental rejection of their faith. They protested, but the reforms were ratified, leading to a division in the Church. Those who adhered to the original traditions became known as the Old Believers.

In the years following the reforms, Old Believers were persecuted, tortured, and even executed.

Some were burned alive; others had their hands and tongues cut off. Many fled to the edges of the Russian Empire; some fled even further. Old Believer communities were established as far away as Argentina, the United States, and Canada. It wasn't until 1971 that the 1667 ban on the Old Believer faith was finally lifted.

Strings of onions and dried fish in Old Believer community

Source: Magnus Heinmets

Stop at one of these four museums to learn about Estonia's Old Believers.

Unique Old Believer traditions

Today there are about 15,000 Old Believers and 11 registered parishes in Estonia. More tradition than belief unites them these days. If you travel along the road connecting Mustvee to Varnja, you can observe some of these unique, centuries-old traditions.

Icon-adorned worship houses

Worship houses are the center of the Old Believer's religious life. Services are led by a church elder, who may be a man or woman, though only male elders may perform some ceremonies, such as baptism or confession. Worship houses are decorated with ornate icons, an important aspect of the Old Believer faith. Services are long and serious, featuring unanimous choir singing from ancient Slavonic sheet music. You can visit the worship houses in Kasepää, Kallaste, and Raja.

Tea time with a samovar and snacks in Old Believer's house

Source: Näljane Nelik

Source: Hans Markus Antson

The Old Believer communities along Lake Peipsi are easy to explore by bike.

Kolkja to Varnja is about 7 km, and Mustvee to Varnja is about 45 km if you'd prefer a longer ride.

Tea, onions, and fish

When visiting the house of an Old Believer, you must bring your own dishes and utensils. You may not drink coffee or smoke, but you can enjoy tea brewed in a samovar. The tea is delicious, accompanied by special sweets made of boiled, whipped sugar. Visit the Samovar House in Varnja to learn about the history of samovars while enjoying a hot cup of tea.

Since Estonians already occupied the more fertile farmland near Lake Peipsi, the Old Believers settled along the shore. The men took to fishing, and today, fresh-caught, dried, or smoked fish can be found for sale along the village roads.

The sandy soil doesn't yield many crops except onions. Today, onions grown by Old Believers are the best — and most expensive — in Estonia, and the reason why the road connecting their villages is called the Onion Route.

Dried fish caught from Lake Peipsi in Estonia

Source: Näljane Nelik

Where to eat along the Onion Route

Extend your day with a stop at picturesque Alatskivi Castle.

Where can you learn more about Old Believers in Estonia?

To get a feel for this special part of Estonia, rent a car and spend a day driving the Onion Route. Stops at the Peipsimaa County Heritage Centre and the Museum of Old Believers are a must. Both are located in Kolkja. The museum reopened in 2023 after three years of renovations. Their exhibition features photos, handicrafts, clothes, and tools donated by Old Believers, and they offer a virtual reality experience of a prayer service at the Great Kolkja Prayer House. At the visitor centre, you can learn more about Old Believer handicrafts by taking a workshop on lubok, a type of hand-painted woodblock print.

For a one-of-a-kind cultural experience, take a trip to Piirissaar, a small island on Lake Peipus. A tiny Old Believer community inhabits the island year-round. The isolation has helped them maintain their culture and centuries-old traditions.

Where can you experience Old Believer culture in Tallinn?

Head on over to the Open Air Museum's Old Believer's farmhouse. This well-preserved home from the village of Kallaste was relocated to the museum in 1991.

A visit to the Onion Route is an unforgettable, uniquely Estonian adventure.

Here are more things to do and places to see.

Old Believers have lived side-by-side with Estonians for centuries.

Yet the threat to their way of life comes not from their neighbors but from the allure of life in bigger cities in Estonia, Europe, or even overseas. In recent years, though, public funding from Estonia and the EU has led to the restoration of worship houses and buildings and a greater interest in studying and preserving this unique culture.